This application relates to walkers of the type used by persons with impaired walking ability, such as the elderly or those with leg or back injuries. Walkers are known that have a frame forming a general U shape viewed from the top having a two opposing side frame portions joined by a front frame portion. The frame usually includes four legs at the bottom, handles on the top, and an open back which allows the user to grab the handles and fit within the cage. When a user is in the frame formed by the walker the user can lean to either side or lean forward and be stabilized by the walker, and can enter and leave the walker through the open back. The wheels allow the user to move the walker. There are usually at least two wheels on the bottom legs, usually on the front legs, with the other pair of legs having rubber tips to stop sliding when weight is placed on the walker frame. Sometimes each of the four legs has a wheel in which case a hand brake is typically provided at each handle and adjacent the front of the walker in order to allow the user to stop movement of the walker.
Some of these walkers have seats that are mounted to the front legs and rotatably mounted so the seat can fold into a vertical position when not in use and fold into a horizontal position extending toward the user during use. That allows the user to push the seat down, turn around within the walker frame and then sit on the seat. Unfortunately, the back rest formed by these walkers it typically a bare bar or a small backrest on a bar extending between the sides frame portions of the walkers and forming a portion of the front frame portion of the walker. Part of the difficulty in forming a suitable backrest is that the seat folds against the front portion of the frame and there is difficulty fitting the seat and a backrest in the same place while keeping the walker light enough for movement by an elderly or impaired person. There is thus a need for a more comfortable backrest, and for a way to securely fasten a backrest to a walker.
Further, when a user sits in seat in the walker it is often difficult for the user to get out of the seat and stand up. The user may grab the brake or handles to help leverage themselves out of the seat, but the handles are at the top of walker and users of walkers often have inadequate upper body strength or arm movement to easily grab the brake or elevated handles to help pull themselves out of the seat and into a standing position. There is thus a need for an improved walker that makes it easier for a user to go from the sitting to the standing position within the walker.